When it comes to keeping the borough tidy, Blackburn with Darwen’s volunteers have bags of enthusiasm! And there’s now a small army of them pounding the streets with the figure recently topping the 1,000 mark!
Many are part of the Keep Blackburn Tidy and Keep Darwen Tidy groups – offering daily support through their network and busy Facebook pages. Others simply applied through the Lancashire Volunteer Partnership and take pride in making a real difference to their borough. They’re all part of the Red Bag Revolution – named after the distinctive bags they fill with litter.

Councillor Jim Smith, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council’s Executive Member for Environmental Services, said: What an incredible achievement to top 1,000 volunteers for the Keep It Tidy initiative in our borough. These volunteers are out come rain or shine helping to make Blackburn with Darwen a better place to live and what a difference they’re truly making!
You only have to drive down the street and you often see a red bag left next to a council bin – chances are that the red bag will have been filled by a volunteer giving up their own time.

We’re proud of each and every one of them and can’t thank them enough for their efforts. As part of a drive to encourage volunteering, the council offers a free kit to help residents get started. It includes a littler picker, red and clear bags, gloves, a first aid kit and even a bag of tea bags as a small thank-you.

Councillor Smith added:
These volunteers are a shining example of the council’s Your Call initiative working at it’s very best. The scheme is designed to help encourage and support residents to volunteer in many different ways right across the area with lots of opportunities available. The volunteers tell us that they feel a real sense of pride in what they’re doing and there’s significant health and wellbeing benefits too.

They’re supported by our own dedicated Environment Team who themselves are passionate about making a difference to the borough. Amongst their many activities, The Keep Darwen and Keep Blackburn Tidy groups organise regular litter picks and play an active part in reporting waste issues from around the borough.

They also help to recycle – separating much of the litter they collect while also educating and encouraging their fellow residents to do the same.
You can find them by searching on Facebook. Want to get involved, https://lancsvp.org.uk/opportunities/kit/